Apparatus for treating rolled fabric



2 Shees-Sheet ATTORNEYS June 28, 1932.

J. SPALDHNG APPARATUS FOR TREATING ROLLED YFABRIC Filed April 7, 1928 June 28, 1932. J. SPALDING APPARATUS FOR TREATING/ROLLED FABRIC Filed April '7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR Jf/ 5yd/@7777. BY

ATTORNEYS Patente: June 28g, 1932 UNITED S'TATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN SPALDING, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO ALBERT T. OTTO @t SONS, i

INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK APPARATUS FOR TREATING ROLLED FABRIC Application led April 7,

ln my prior Patent No. 1,665,230, dated April 10, 1928, there is disclosed a process 1n which certain threads of a Wide fabric sheet are of such material that after thecompletion of the fabric, and the bleaching, Washing,

dyeing, starching or other finishing operations, these threads may be dissolved out to .thereby release, free, or disconnect portions of the fabric sheet from each other. More speciiically the patent disclosesthe connect ing of adjacent strips of Levers lace by tie threads of cellulose acetate and the dissolvving out of these threads in acetone. This does not affect the struct-ure or finish of the lace strips.

Although my present invention may be utilized for the treatment of rolled fabric with other chemicals, or fluids, and for other purposes, the specific embodiment hereinafter de- 20 scribed is intended primarily for the removal of the tie threads from the type of fabric abovevreferred to and disclosed and broadly claimed in said patent.

One object of my invention is to increase the speed with which the material is treated. l`o secure this object l provide means Whereby the fabric is treated in rolled form rather than being conducted as a single layer through a tank as disclosed in said patent.

A further object of the invention is to render the process more economical by preventing loss of the solvent or other treating fluid.

A' further object is to secure substantially complete removal of the solvent or other `treating fluid from the material and the reeovery of said fluid for use on further rolls of material.

A further object is to secure substantially uniform treatment of the material of the entire roll.

A further object is to increase the speed of drying of the treated roll.

Various other objects and advantages Will be pointed out hereinafter or will be apparent from a consideration of the preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings. i i

ln these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic repre- 1928. Serial No. 268,351.

sentation of the various parts of the apparatus used in carrying out the process;

F ig. 2 is a central longitudinal section through the extractor; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line '3 3 of Fig. 2.

In the apparatus illustrated the material is treated in an extractor Which is of substantially cylindrical form and of such diameter andlength as to receive the roll of material, but Without leaving undue excess space in addition to that occupied by the roll.

The extractor is shown as including a cylindrical shell with a normally fixed end Wall 11 and a removable end Wall 12. Adj ac ent to one end the shell is provided with a liquid inlet 13 and adjacent to the opposite end a liquid outlet 14. In addition there may be provided, if desired, a drain 15 and an overflow or air outlet 16.

Encircling the shell is a steam jacket 17 which may have any desired number of steam inlets 18 along the length thereof and an outlet or drain 19 for Water of condensation.

As one important feature of the extractor the fixed Wall 11 carries a steam pipe 2() disposed centrally of the shell and of a length approximating the length of the shell. This steam pipe 2O is closed at its inner end and ivithin'the steam pipe is an inner'pipe 2l terminating adjacent to the closed end, but being itself open at the inner end. Thus steam may be delivered through the pipe 21 to the inner end of the pipe 20, and flow back through the outer pipe tol a drain or condensate outlet ,22.

The material to be treated is Wound as a roll A upon a mandrel 23 of such diameter that it may be slipped 'over the steam tube 20. The mandrel is not any larger than is necessary to give an easy siiding fit so 'that there Will be free heat transference from the steam pipe 2O to the roll of material which thus encirclcs the steam pipe.

To relieve the steam pipe of the Weight'of the roll of material, the mandrel is preferably provided With a. pair of detachable spiders 211 which may have rollers at the ends of 3100 the arms thereof to insure the supporting and proper centering of the roll of material.

When it is desired to treat a roll of material the end wall 12 may be removed, the spiders attached to the end of the mandrel, and the latter slid in while telescoping on the steam pipe 20. The end wall 12 may then be replaced and the roll will be sealed within the chamber.

When the roll of material is removed one of the spiders may be left in the chamber to support the free end of the steam pipe 20, although the fixed end wall 11 is preferably provided with reinforcing flanges for increasing the rigidity of the support of the steam pipe.

This extractor shown in Figs. 2 and 3 may be connected up in a system as shown in Fig. 1. In the operation of this system, the succesSive batches of the treating liquid are caused to circulate in succession through the extractor and thereafter steam is applied to the interior and the exterior of the roll so as to thoroughly dry the material and free it of any residual extracting liquid.

More specifically the apparatus includes a plurality of storage tanks for the extracting liquid, three such tanks 26, 27 and 28 being illustrated.

A pump 29 is connected bysuitable piping to the three tanks so that it may draw from any one of them. The separate pipe connections to the tanks have valves 30, 31 and 32 in the branches-leading to the distributing pipe 33 and between the latter andthe pump there is a valve 34. The pump delivers through a pipe 35`and valve 36 to the inlet 13 of the ext-raetoiftfff.fvv

The overflow or air outlet 16 is connected to a pipe 37 having a valve 38 and a chamber 39 providedvwith a gauge or sight glass 40. rThe top of the chamber 39 is provided with a return conduit'j41 to one of the tanks 26, 27 or 28.

In addition tol the storage tanks there is provided a still 42 which may be connected to the pipe 33 through a valve 43 and may deliver its vapors through a pipe44 to a condenser 45 from which the condensate may return to the pipe 33. The inlet of the pump is also connected to the outlet 14 of the extractor by a. pipe 46 having a valve 47.

The operation of this portion of the apparatus may be as follows The tank 26 may be filled with fresh or redistilled solvent, the tank 27 with solvent which has once been used, and the tank 28 with asolvent which has twice been used.

After the roll of material has been placed in the extractor, the valves 32, 34, 36 and 38 are opened, and the valves 30, 31, 43 and 47 are closed. The pump is started and will thus draw liquid which has been used in two previous operations from the. tank 28 and will deliver the same through the pipe 35 to the extractor at the inlet 13. The extractor will fill up with liquid until there is an overiiow through the outlet 16 and pipe 37 into the chamber 39. When liquid shows in the sight glass 40 the valve 34 is closed and the valve 47 is opened. Thereafter the pump will draw liquid from the outlet 14 at one end of the extractor and return it to the inlet 13 at the opposite end. This operation is continued until this liquid has dissolved out all of the cellulose acetate constituting the tie threads. The pump is then stopped and the valves 34 and 43 are opened, the valve 32 having been previously closed. The liquid in the extractor may then drain to the still 42. lVhen the extractor is empty the valves 47, 32 and 43 are closed, the valve 31 is opened and the pump is again started in operation.

-This time it will draw liquid from the tank and 32 are opened, and the liquid which was previously drawn from the tank 27 is returned to the tank 28. Vhen the extractor is again emptied, the valve 30 is opened and valves 47 and 32 are closed. The pump is ystarted and the chamber is filled with the fresh or redistilled solvent from the tank 26. When the extractor is filled the valve 47 is opened and 34 is closed and the liquid is circulated through the extractor until the last trace of cellulose acetate is removed. When this operation is completed the liquid which had previously been drawn from the tank 26 is returned to the tank 27.

During these extracting operations, the supply of steam to the inner pipe of the extilctor and to the steam jacket has been shut o As the next portion of the process the residual solvent in the roll of material is driven out by heat and recovered. For this purpose there is illustrated apparatus constructed substantially as follows:

Beyond the valve 36 the extractor inlet 13 is connected by a pipe 48 to a condenser 49, said pipe having a valve 50 which is closed during the operations hereinbefore described. The condenser is provided with a condensate return pipe 51 which connects through a valve 52 to the pipe 33.

The inlet 13 of the extractor is also connected by a pipe 53 to a vacuum pump 54, said pipe having a valve 55 which is closed during the extracting loperation. The vacuum pump delivers through a pipe 56 to an i expansion chamber 57 and the latter has a aseaaie vapor outlet pipe 58 leading toa condenser 59. T he condensate from this condenser may flow through a valved pipe to a combined A vacuum receiver and still 61, and the expansion tank 57 1s also connected to this same receiver and still by a valved pipe 62. rl`he still has a valve controlled drainage pipe 63 and a vapor outlet pipe 64 leading past a valve to the condenser 49.

The operation of this portion of the apparatus may be substantially as follows:

After the last charge of treating liquid has been Withdrawn from the extractor, the valves 65, 55, 36, 38 and 47 are closed, while the valves 50, 52, and 30 are opened. Steam is delivered to the inner pipe and the jacket so as to vaporize the major portion of the solvent remaining in the ro'll of fabric, anel the vapors pass out through the pipe 48 to the condenser 49, and the recovered solvent goes back to thc tank 26.

TWhen the major portion of the solvent has been driven oil, the valve 50 is closed, the valve -55 is opened, and the vacuum. pump 54 is started.

. The reduction in pressure in the extractor and the heating effect of the steam removes substantially all of the remaining solvent.

. The vapors from the vacuum pump are delivered to the expansion tank 57 and such portions as condense will go to the still 6l through the pipe 62, and such as do not condense vvill pass through the pipe 58 to the condenser 59 and thence to the still 6l.

When substantially all of the solvent has thus been removed, the vacuum pump may be y stopped, the valve 55 is closed, and cold water delivered through the steam pipe to the center pipe 20 and to the acket 17.

When the roll has thus been quickly cooled, the end plate l2 may be removed and the roll of material drawn out.

lf the roll be of such material as is shown in my previous patent above referred to, the separate strips will fall apart as the material is unrolled from the mandrel.

At any suit-able time and when a sufiicient amount ofthe solvent has collected in the still 61, the pipes G0 and 62 may be closed, the valve 65 opened and the still heated to vaporize the solvent and deliver it through thc condenser 49 to the tank 26. Any residuum may later be Withdrawn from the still through the pipe 63.

At any suitable time in the progress of the process the material which has been used in the extractor three times and returned to the still 42 after the third time, may be redistilled,

y the valve 43 being closed and the condensate being conducted through the pipe 33 to the storage tank 26.

rlhe residuum in the still 42 will contain substantially all of the cellulose acetate or other material Which has been removed by the solvent action, and may be drawn 0H for any -until after the solvent has been used the desired number of times.

By means of the process, a roll of dry material as 1t comes from the previous manufactu'ring operations, is inserted in the extractor, and thereafter it 1s merely a case of valve manipulation until the process is completed, and the dry roll withdrawn ready to be unrolled, and finished and separated strips inspected and prepared for shipment.

lt will, of course, be understood that the apparatus above described is only diagrammatically illustrated in the drawings, and that various other arrangements of piping, valves and other parts of the apparatus may be used instead of the particulararrangement illustrated. Also a lesser or greater number of storage tanks may be employed depending upon the number of treatments to be given the material, and also that in some processes where the solvent is of compaifatively small value or highly volatile, the vacuum pump and associated partsr might be entirely omitted. The extractor illustrated is designed to carry only a single roll of material, although in practice it is preferable that a plurality of extractors be connected in series or that there be aplurality of the inner heating pipes 20 to receive a plurality of rolls in a single extracting chamber.

These are only a few of the various changes f which may be made within the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An apparatus for the treatment'of sheet material in roll form, including a chamber having a pipe extending into' the chamber from one end, aclosure at the opposite end whereby said roll may be moved endwise into said chamber and encircle said pipe, andl means for 'applying a heating medium to the exterior of the chamber and to the interior of the pipe.

2. An apparatus for treating. a roll of sheet material, including a chamber having a re-- movable end wall, a pipe projecting into said chamber from the opposite Wall,.where'by the roll of material maybe moved endwise onto said pipe and encircle the latter, and means for delivering a heatinganedium to said pipe, whereby the roll is heated from the inside.

3. An apparatus vfor treating a roll of sheet material, including a chamber having a removable end wall, a pipe projecting into said chamber from the opposite wall, whereby the roll of material may be moved endwise onto said pipe and encircle the latter, and means for delivering a heating medium to said pipe,

whereby the roll is heated' from the inside, and said chamber having an outside steam jacket, whereby the roll may be simultaneous- 1y heated from the outside.

4. An apparatus for treating a roll of sheet material, including a chamber having a pipe extending into said chamber from one wall thereof, a mandrel adapted to carry the roll of material and to telescope with said pipe, and means for supporting said mandrel from the wall of the chamber independently of said- Pipe- 5. An apparatus for treating a roll of material, including a chamber having a pipe projecting thereinto, a mandrel adapted to f carry the roll of material to be treated and to telescope on said pipe, and spiders secured to opposite ends of said mandrel for engaging with the wall of the chamber to support the mandrel.

6. An apparatus for treating sheet material in roll form, including a chamber having an inlet and an outlet adjacent to opposite ends, means within said chamber for holding the roll stationary and out of Contact with the walls of the chamber, a liquid storage tank, a pump for delivering liquid from said storage tank to said inlet, a conduit connecting said outlet to the inlet of the pump, whereby said pump may be used for filling the chamber and for circulating liquid through said chamber, and a separate conduit connecting the top of said chamber and said tank for the return of excess liquid to said tank after filling of said chamber.

7. An apparatus for treating textile material, including a treating chamber, a tank at a lower level, a pump, valved pipe connections between the inlet of the pump and both said chamber and said tank whereby the` pump may draw from either or the chamber may drain to the tank, pipe connections from the outlet of said pump to said tank whereby the pum may circulate the liquid through the cham er or fill the chamber from the tank, and overfiow pipe connections from the top of the chamber and independent ofthe previously mentioned pipe connections for return of excess liquid from the chamber to the tank after the completion of the filling of the latter.

Signed at Stamford, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, this 5th day of April, A. 1928. v

JOHN SPALDYING. 

